Tristan und Isolde
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Movie Reviews of Tristan und Isolde
Movie Review: Another wonderful Tristan
Summary: 5 Stars
After getting the video of the Ponnelle/Barenboim/Johanna Meier "Tristan und Isolde" which was delisted many years ago, and while I was waiting for it to come out on DVD cleaned up with a better quality of sound, I bought other versions. For my taste, I found them all substandard (see my review of the aforementioned "Tristan"). Then it was issued as a DVD and judging from the many positive reviews most people found it as excellent a production as I did.
Now there is an embarasse de richesse because another excellent production has been released -- different, but equally excellent. The Ponnelle is more traditional, with a major twist to the ending; whereas the Lehnhoff is more stylised, but faithful to the stated intention of Wagner.
There is but one set for the three acts, a series of circular and semicircular steps which enclose the stage. But the very imaginative lighting profoundly changes the space and moods. At times it seems very confining, at others it is liberating; at times dark and brooding, at others warm and optimistic. But the very spareness of the set keeps the focus on the what and why of this powerful opera. It is very imaginative and works very well for this production.
Opus Arte, as usual, has served up a technically superlative production with first rate addenda.
I am grateful to Mike Birman for his account of the background to the opera and this production. It saves me from writing something very similar. (Since both of our reviews were written, we have had a correspondence in the "comment" section as we straightened out our mutual misunderstandings. That remains for those interested. He has since changed a bit of his opening background paragraph, so I am changing my response to it.) I now fully agree with his facts and tone of his account. He wrote, "Tristan is the quintessential opera about eros and it is natural to wonder to what degree these romantic entanglements influenced its genesis". I certainly agree, and would like to add another possible example.
Since I referred to the twist in the Ponnelle production ending, and since other commentators in reviewing that production have given it away, as it were, as well as adversely criticised it I feel free to describe it here. In that version, Isolde does not come to Tristan at the end -- she is an hallucination, Tristan's unfulfilled desire. As I wrote in response to that criticism: "It may be different, but in light of Wagner's life at the time he wrote it, perhaps it makes sense. His relationship with Mathilda Weisendonck had broken up. Many commentators have written that this explains the yearning so powerfully represented in the music. Perhaps subconsciously he never expected that Isolde would turn up. I can invision Ponnelle in Heaven saying to Wagner, as Brunnhilde said to Wotan, "I might not have done what you commanded, but I did what you wanted".
I also have no hesitation in giving this production the full five stars. Where I differ is in a matter of taste. Mr. Birman says that this is his favourite DVD of this opera. (Well, as they say on the Canadian East Coast, "Some likes an apple and some likes an onion".) My favourite DVD production remains the Ponnelle/Bareboim/Johanna Meier one. This, despite my finding Rene Pape's King Marke by far the best I have seen. Stemme, Gambill and Karneus all sing extremely powerfully and well, and their acting is also first rate; but their interpretations are not as emotionally nuanced as those of Meier, Kollo and Schwarz -- hence my preference.
To repeat, it is a matter of personal taste. This is a wonderful production in all respects, and it is really unfair to make comparisons -- not that that has stopped me. I am glad to have both and, unlike all the others I unfortunately purchased over the years, I will return to them both -- often. I am grateful to Opus Arte and DGG for these wonderful interpretations.
PS August 26 2008 I have just seen the Barenboim/Muller Tristan with Waltraud Meier and Siegfried Jerusalem. As a result, for what it is worth, that is now my second choice and this drops to third. The reason is that I have become increasingly less enchanted by Robert Gambill's singing.
Movie Review: A wonderful "Tristan"
Summary: 5 Stars
I have never attended the Glyndebourne Festival, but I have seen a number of its productions on video. I've been impressed by the consistently high standard of singing and conducting, and by productions that are interesting and innovative without going off the deep end. These qualities are certainly apparent in this 2007 "Tristan". This was the first Wagner opera to be staged at Glyndebourne, after the enlargement of the house made it feasible.
The cast is excellent. Nina Stemme is the real thing as Isolde. She sings with strength throughout her range, with a fine legato line and some lovely soft singing. And she has power in reserve for the big moments. She is also a physically attractive woman and an excellent actress. The Tristan is Robert Gambill, who began by singing Mozart and Rossini but a few years back reinvented himself as a Heldenteonr. He sounds pretty convincing, singing with both power and lyricism. I'm not sure I buy his let-it-all-hang-out approach to the third act delirium scene. I've always thought Tristan should show a certain knightly poise even under these conditions, but Gambill sings persuasively, and his stamina is impressive. Unfortunately, he looks rather awkward on stage, making his heroics less convincing. He is not helped by the stringy, greasy-looking wig the costumer inflicted on him; he loses it for the third act, but the buzz-cut look is no great improvement. Katarina Karnéus is a lovely Brangäne, showing off her fine high mezzo-soprano and interacting well with Stemme. Bo Skovhus is a solid, knightly Kurwenal; he conveys his devotion to Tristan without going overboard. I only wish his voice were stonger in the low register, where some notes get lost. René Pape sings Marke's music beautifully and brings out his utter bewilderment at the turn of events. The conductor Jiri Belohlavek was known to me by name, but I'd never heard his work. He is a fine Wagner conductor, fully expressing the passion and sensuality of the music while keeping a firm hand on the long musical line. His only miscalculation is the appearance of Isolde's ship in Act III, where his tempo is simply too fast. The singers are to be congratulated for keeping up! (Listen to Furtwängler's mix of weight and excitement to hear how this passage should be handled.)
The staging is interesting. I think "Tristan" responds better than the other Wagner operas to an abstract production because not much "happens" in this very internal drama. The single set is a sort of spiral structure, which one reviewer compared to a giant slinky. It can evoke any number of things, and the imaginative lighting allows it to do so. The singers sometimes look uncomfortable moving on the curved surfaces, but on the whole I think it works. There are a few odd things in the production; for example, I can't for the life of me figure out what the Shepherd in Act III is supposed to be wearing on his head. The staging falls down in two passages that need realism - the Tristan/Melot duel in Act II and Kurwenal's battle with Marke's retainers in Act III. Both are perfunctory, especially the latter - Kurwenal goes offstage to fight and then returns to die unconvincingly. It seems that the director is so caught up in his "concept" that he can't be bothered with things like swordfights. I did like the final "Liebestod", with light only on Isolde, the other characters having vanished into the darkness that finally consumes Isolde as well - very effective.
Opus Arte provides is usual deluxe presentation, including interesting interviews with cast, conductor, and director, and a rather strange lecture on the musical structure by an elderly repetiteur. He delivers it in impenetrable German (thank heavens for subtitles!), and he plays the musical examples on the piano, very poorly, from a score that looks like it dates from Wagner's time!
Movie Review: A triumph
Summary: 5 Stars
This the the third Tristan to appear this year, not too long after the Met's DVD issue. As usual all of these have something very strong going for them,and for fully committed Wagnerians like myself, we take all three and know I will view them repeatedly.
The Glyndebourne production,minimal, is my choice, as it has the capital virtue of not introducing the distracting gimmicks we find in Bayreuth, where Isolde's train in Act 1 is absurd, and the end is controversial. In Barcelona the sets are rather ugly and nonsensical, and only the third act is relatively free of fault.The Met's presentation is silly and King Marke's crown is objectionable.
When it comes to the leads, Nina Stemme as Isolde trumps all her competition. She has a lovely presence, is a subtle actress, with a wonderful lyrical voice. Polaski is a great artist, but her voice has always had some problematic spots, and Johanna Meier, a very fine artist, pales besides these two.
Robert Gambill's Tristan has to fall second to Treleaven, who in the Barcelona performance, is the only Tristan who in spite of some bizarre gestures and vocal inconsistency, has kept my attention fully riveted to him through what can be an interminable Act. Kollo is too expressionless besides these others. Of course, Ben Heppner has the most beautiful voice, but alas, his Isolde!
The supporting cast in all the three sets is excellent, in Barcelona maybe more than that, especially Eric Halfvarson's Marke. Of course Rene Pape has a marvelous voice, but Halfvarson, more human, and motile, is what I prefer.
As I said, Wagnerians will want all these sets.
Movie Review: Superlative production
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the most dramatically gripping operas on DVD that I have ever seen. The production from Glyndebourne is conceived to convey the intense drama of this tragic love story visally and musically. The unit set is unusual, a concentric crescent that changes appearance radically with lighting. The effect is highly dramatic. The singers are superb. Nina Stemme is a fierce, angry Isolde in the first act narrative, but then she and Tristan take the potion. WOW. The second act builds beautifully to the love duet and then the discovery of the lovers, in which Rene Pape as King Marke conveys his sense of betrayal with dignity and understanding, a very moving moment. In the final act, Robert Gambill is heartbreaking as the dying Tristan, and the Liebestod is filmed and sung for stunning dramatic impact as the image fades into a pinpoint of light. Katarina Karneus (Brangaena) and Bo Skovhus (Kurwenal) are superb in the important supporting roles. Wagner lovers, do not miss this.Movie Review: A TRUE KEEPER
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this on sale from another place.Amazon had no classical DVDS or CDS on sale over Christmas.I was looking for DVDS and found this one $30 off.I had wanted it but it was just to steep,but on black friday weekend I found it and spent all $300 at that site.This production is rated as one of the best. Everyone should own the Vickers and Nilsson one because it is a classic,although an old recording.This one is 3 DVD PCM Stereo and DTS.Stemme is really great in the role of Isolde and Gambill,I have on another with Waltraud Meier,is also good as Tristan.Rene Pape is always good,what a great voice.The production is basically the same setting throughout.I have no complaints about this one at all.It's great for a modern production and the singing is absolutely great.I highly recommend it!!! You won't be disappointed at all. Also check out the Barenboim production with Joanna Meier and also a Barenboim production with Siegfried Jerusalem and Waltraud Meier.
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